Written Answers Monday 21 February 2011

Scottish Executive

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the ban on selling raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk. The FSA in Scotland considers that the ban represents the appropriate risk management option for Scotland and has no plans at present to review the prohibition of the sale of raw drinking milk and raw cream.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the ban on the selling of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.

  The ban, which was first introduced in 1983 has subsequently been reviewed in 1995, 1998 and most recently in 2004 as part of the EU wide review of food hygiene controls. The Minister’s position in 2004 was informed by a wide ranging public consultation. At each of these reviews the evidence provided supported the policy decision to maintain the ban.

  In 2004 Scottish ministers reconfirmed their wish to maintain the ban. The ban in Scotland offers a high level of public health protection and has marked a decline in milk-related illness, which has been maintained in subsequent years.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received supporting the ban on selling raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: In March 2004, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland consulted with approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders on the European Commission proposals to consolidate and simplify EU food hygiene legislation. In total 26 Scottish stakeholders responded to this consultation of which nine commented specifically on Article 10(8) of EC Regulation No 2/2004, which allowed member states to maintain or establish national rules prohibiting the sale of raw milk or raw cream direct for human consumption. All nine Scottish stakeholders were in favour of retaining the ban in Scotland.

  Approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders were consulted on the draft Food Hygiene Regulations (Scotland) consultation held in October 2004.

  A total of 16 responses received were in favour of retaining the ban and in support of regulation 32 Schedule 6 providing restrictions on the placing on the market of raw milk and raw cream. Nine responses were from Scottish local authorities.

  Two responses were received from food liaison groups (Lothian and Borders and West of Scotland) and three were from NHS service areas (Lothian, Highland and Dumfries and Galloway). Responses were also received from a hospitality association (British Hospitality Association) and from the Scottish Food Advisory Committee. All responses fully supported the retention of the raw milk and cream ban in Scotland.

  FSA in Scotland did not receive any responses from Scottish stakeholders opposing the raw milk ban in Scotland.

  In September 2005, approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders were again consulted on a further draft Food Hygiene (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations. On this occasion two responses were received - one from the NHS National Services Scotland and one from the food liaison group (Lothian and Borders). Both reinforced the importance on public health grounds of retaining the raw milk and cream ban in Scotland. FSA Scotland again did not receive comments from Scottish stakeholders opposing the ban in Scotland.

  From 2005-2008, FSA in Scotland received 3 letters from the Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome Help (HUSH)* UK E-coli support group. The correspondence from HUSH supported the ban on raw drinking milk and raised concerns about the sale of raw milk for the use in raw milk products such as unpasteurised cheese and the labelling of unpasteurised cheeses.

  In September 2000 an E.coli Task Force was appointed by the then Minister for Health and Community Care, Susan Deacon, under the joint sponsorship of the FSA in Scotland and the then Scottish Executive Health Department to examine the sources of E.coli O157 and the risks and measures to avoid or minimise exposure to infection.

  In 2000-01, the task force received representations from the Scottish Food Co-ordinating Committee, HUSH and the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food and they all supported the continued application of the Scottish ban and proposed the introduction of compulsory pasteurisation of raw cow’s milk in England and Wales.

  This task force published its report in October 2001 focusing mainly on the Scottish situation. It examined the foods associated with outbreaks of E.coli 0157, including the consumption of raw milk on farm in Scotland. The task force recommended that all raw drinking milk for sale in England and Wales should be heat treated and that the pasteurisation process should be extended to include all raw milk from other species such raw sheep and goat’s milk.

  Note: * HUSH charitable organisation was set up in 1997 following the outbreak of E.coli 0157 in central Scotland (Wishaw) where 20 people died and there were 497 reported cases. HUSH aims to increase public awareness of E.Coli 0157, to disseminate information to avoid infection, to increase public awareness of E.coli 0157 and to encourage the Government to decrease the cases of E.coli 0157.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received supporting the sale of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: Since the Food Standards Agency inherited policy responsibility for this matter in 2000, it has received correspondence from five individual members of the public expressing support for the sale of raw drinking milk. In addition it has received five pieces of ministerial correspondence where concerns have been raised about the current ban and restrictions on access to raw cow’s drinking milk.

  The agency has carried out three major public consultations on this matter during this time where, on each occasion, over 700 key stakeholder’s views were sought. On each of these occasions, no representations were received supporting the removal of the existing ban.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are undertaken to ensure that raw cow’s drinking milk is not sold.

Richard Lochhead: Under the consolidated EU hygiene rules, which took effect from on 1 January 2006, member states were able to introduce or maintain national rules prohibiting or restricting the placing on the market, within its territory, of raw milk or raw cream. Regulation 32 and Schedule 6 of the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 prohibits the placing on the market of raw milk and raw cream, for direct human consumption.

  These regulations are enforced by Scotland’s 32 local food authorities.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Food Standards Agency regarding the safety of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.

  In 2004 and 2005, three public consultations were carried out on the EU proposals and on the draft Food Hygiene Regulations and included a restriction on the placing on the market of raw cow’s drinking milk intended for direct human consumption. Scottish Government colleagues within the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Executive Development Department and the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Parliament were consulted. No adverse comments were received.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding its policy allowing the sale of raw cow’s drinking milk.

Richard Lochhead: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland is responsible for food safety and standards and for the legislation controlling the sale of raw milk.

  The agency is a non-ministerial UK government department operating at arm’s length from ministers. It is governed by a board appointed to act in the public interest. Its policy remit relates to food and feed safety and is wholly devolved. In this context, for the delivery of its functions the agency has responsibilities to the Westminster and devolved administrations.

  The FSA board considered the position with respect to the sale of raw milk in the four UK countries in 2005 during its wider consideration of the implementation of the consolidated EU food hygiene legislation, which allows member states to introduce or maintain national rules restricting the placing on the market of raw milk for direct human consumption.

  The FSA board agreed that while there was no risk basis for different approaches in the four UK countries with regards to raw drinking milk, it recognised the different historical patterns of consumption and consumer preference across the UK which was reflected in the differing views of stakeholders received during formal consultations, and noted the recommendations for each country.

  The recommendation for Scotland reflected the wish of Scottish Ministers, reconfirmed to the agency in 2004, to maintain and extend the ban so that all raw drinking milk sales in Scotland would be prohibited.

Dairy Produce

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many milk-related (a) illnesses and (b) deaths there have been in each year since 1980.

Richard Lochhead: The agency responsibility for this policy started from 2000 and therefore we do not hold all of the data requested for each year since 1980.

  However, the data which is available to the Food Standards Agency suggests that the numbers of cases of foodborne disease associated with the consumption of milk and cream have decreased significantly since the ban was introduced in 1983.

  Published studies carried out in Scotland between 1980 and 1985 (Sharp JCM., Milk and dairy products, PHLS Microbiological Digest, 1986; 3: 28-9.) indicated that, in 1981, there were 782 cases of food-borne disease associated with all milk and cream, including three deaths, and in 1982, there were 539 cases, including one death. From 1983 (when the ban on the sale of raw milk was introduced), the number of cases decreased, with 29 cases recorded in 1983, 27 in 1984 and 74 in 1985. The majority of cases recorded during 1983-1985 occurred in the farming community. Please see the following table with data from 1980–1995.

  Outbreaks of Foodborne Diseases In Scotland Associated With Raw Milk 1980 to 1995

  

Year
Numbers of Outbreaks
Numbers Affected By Illness (Deaths)


1980
3
98 (4)


1981
8
782 (3)


1982
14
539 (1)


1983
7
29


1984
5
27


1985
8
74


1986
2
10


1987
5
30


1988
1
4


1989
0
0


1990
2
6


1991
4
17


1992
2
6


1993
0
0


1994
0
0


1995
No reports received
/



  Subsequent surveillance data has been obtained from Health Protection Scotland (HPS) through their ObSurv surveillance system which has recorded general outbreaks (i.e. two or more linked cases including members of more than one household, or residents of an institution) of infectious intestinal disease since 1996. This reported two outbreaks between 1996 and 2010 where raw milk was the suspected vehicle. These involved illness in four people in 1998 attributed to Salmonella Typhimurium and illness in three people in 1999 due to E.coli O157. No deaths were recorded.

  In addition to ObSurv, HPS’s enhanced surveillance of Verotoxigenic E.coli (VTEC), was established in 1999, and collects information on sporadic (i.e. unlinked) cases of VTEC and exposures to known risk factors. Data between 1999-2010 (including provisional figures for 2010), indicated 11 cases of VTEC 0157( all of whom had contact with farms) which were reported to have consumed raw milk, although it should be noted that raw milk was only one of the potential risk factors for these cases and therefore cannot be confirmed as the direct cause of illness. Ten of these 11 cases were residents of private farms. HPS is not aware that any of these cases died as a result of their infections. None of these cases were part of the general outbreaks referred to in the previous paragraph.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in establishing the efficacy of a social norms approach to drug and alcohol education and preventive work in schools and colleges.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is not establishing the efficacy of a social norms approach to drug and alcohol education and preventative work in schools and colleges. The Scottish Government is aware of ongoing research and debate, such as the work of Scotland’s Futures Forum on Approaches to Alcohol and Drugs in Scotland. Under Curriculum for Excellence learners develop their understanding of the use and misuse of alcohol and drugs including recognition of the impact of popular culture, the media and peer groups on their feelings and actions.

Education

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of Fife Council’s proposal to close the Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the (a) articles in the local press, (b) correspondence to elected representatives and (c) the 4,500 people who have signed up to a Facebook page in opposition to Fife Council’s proposal to close the Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre.

Michael Russell: Yes. Ministers have received a number of letters on this matter. This is a matter for Fife Council to determine as the provision of outdoor education is a matter for local authorities.

Education

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held discussions with Fife Council regarding the proposal to close the Ardroy Outdoor Education Centre.

Michael Russell: No discussions have taken place with Fife Council. The provision of outdoor education is a matter for local authorities.

Environment

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes were made to the methodology used to determine the natural heritage indicator for the area of Scotland unaffected by built development; for what reason, and how comparable the 2009 results are with the results between 2002 and 2008 as a consequence of these changes.

Richard Lochhead: I understand that results from this Scottish Natural Heritage indicator for 2009 and 2008 are not directly comparable with those from 2002 because it was not possible in that analysis to take account of topography, i.e. Scotland was treated as a flat surface. Technological advances in 2008 enabled topography to be incorporated in the analysis and to produce a more realistic map. At the same time, the distances over which structures were assumed to exert visual influence were reviewed to give a more realistic measure of visual impact.

  However, changes in the method have had little effect on the overall extent of visual influence. Replicating the original, i.e. the 2002, method for 2008 gave a result of 30.97% of Scotland unaffected by built development whereas the improved method gave a closely similar result of 31.17% (0.2% difference). A minor revision between 2008 and 2009 was that it became possible to incorporate individual turbine location data in place of a single central point location for wind farms. This has a negligible effect on the indicator results.

Environment

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what effects Scotland continues to experience as a result of the Chernobyl incident in 1986.

Richard Lochhead: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency in Scotland that the last Scottish sheep farm affected by the 1986 Chernobyl accident was released from the monitoring requirements imposed under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 on 21 June 2010.

Rural Development

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for support have been made in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency under the new entrants scheme for farming since the scheme was introduced.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for support in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency under the new entrants scheme for farming have been successful since the scheme was introduced.

Richard Lochhead: The Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme includes a specific regional priority aimed at encouraging new entrants to farming to restructure/modernise business, and an option which provides interest rate relief to young farmers setting up a farming business for the first time.

  There have been five applications in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency under the new entrants regional priority, of which one has been approved, one rejected and three are currently under consideration.

  There has been one business development proposal in Clydesdale which incorporates the Setting Up Young Farmers - Interest Rate Relief option. This application is currently under consideration.